The ECA regional transport database programme: issues and prospects for African ports

TRANSCOM/1086 November 1996 Original: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA

Transport, Communications and Tourism Division P.D.Box 3001, Fax:261 1610391, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Paragraphl51

I. INTRODUCTION

II. PROGRESS MADE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT DATA BASE PROGRAMME WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PORTS

III. PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF PMAESA PORTS DATA BASE

IV. RECOMMENDATIONS

ANNEXES

ANNEX I PORT STATISTICS SYSTEM FOR MOZAMBIQUE PORT ANNEX II RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CLOSING SEMINAR ON CALCULATION OF PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR PORTS

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4-9

10-12 13-14

THE ECA REGIONAL TRANSPORT DATA BASE PROGRAMME:

ISSUES AND PROSPECTS FOR AFRICAN PORTS

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Second United Nations Transport and Communications Decade in Africa (UNTACDA II) stresses the importance of efficient and effective transport in economic development and identifies improved transport information systems as a key objective.

The Sub-saharan Africa Transport Programme, initiated in 1987 by the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), with financial support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and donor countries, has also stressed the importance of adequate transport data for the improvement of planning and management of the transport sector. The UNDP, ECA and the World Bank have, therefore, undertaken a programme to develop a transport database for sub-saharan Africa covering all transport modes. The programme aims at providing technical guidance and support to a limited number of NGOs and pilot countries in order to assist them with the design and implementation of efficient, consistent and compatible data systems. Implementation of the programme is through a unit team based in ECA.

The team is working in collaboration which other UN agencies, pilot countries and sub- regional organizations dealing with transport data development.

2. In the case of ports ECA is working closely with the ports in Mozambique and Senegal as pilot cases in consultation with UNCTAD. Member countries of the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) stand a good chance of benefiting from activities already conducted under the programme, especially those concerning the harmonization, standardization of port terminologies and the calculation of performance indicators necessary for monitoring ports performance.

3. The overall objective of this article is to highlight what the ECA regional transport data base has achieved and how ECA and PMAESA Secretariat should collaborate towards the establishment of the Secretariat's data base.

II. PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT DATA BASE PROGRAMME WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PORTS SUBSECTOR 4. The first report on stage one of the regional transport data base programme was prepared as a result of a study conducted for ECA by Canadian Consultants in 1992.

The report highlighted the problems faced in collecting, processing and disseminating transport statistics in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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5. In the field of ports, stage one of the programme found that the coverage and quality of data collection and analysis vary greatly between the different African ports.

The majority of ports do compile basic data and performance indicators for the purpose of port management, control, and planning and as a valuable by-product of many port projects, satisfactory information systems have been introduced. From the point of view of international comparability, serious problems exist related to the fact that the scopeof port activity - that is the division of work between the Port Authority and contractors - varies. For example, Mombasa has been an operating authority port, responsible for cargo handling, thus the employment count produced by the port is a complete measure of human resources used to operate the port. At the other extreme, Abidjan is a "landlord" authority port, with all its cargo handling carried out by private companies. Also, the definitions adopted by different ports vary.

6. The second stage of phase I of the programme in the field of ports has, therefore, concentrated on analysis and adaptation of measures to harmonise data collection methodologies and standardization of terminologies and performance indicators. Mozambique which is the pilot country for the ports subsector presented at the closing seminar for phase I a data collection methodology and performance indicators which would be applied in the ports of Maputo and Beira.

Mozambique National Port Statistics System

The Mozambique National Port Statistics System (See Annex) shows that a total of 30 forms have been designed for use in the new system. Of these 30, however, only 10 will be compiled by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and of these 10 only 7 will go forward to the Vice Minister.

The other 20 forms are split evenly between CFM Planning Department and the Ports, these designs do not necessarily have to be adhered to exactly by the individual ports or the CFM Planning Department as long as the information to compile the 10 MTC forms is presented in an orderly manner. Recommendations of the closing seminar based on the

presentation of the proposed National Port Statistics for Mozambique ports is shown in Annex II.

Source: Report on Mozambique National Ports Statistics

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7. It has also been observed that although a useful UNCTAD Primer (Port Performance Indicators) were issued as long ago as 1976, at country level but not much progress has been achieved in the introduction of the proposed improvements and standardization. The closing seminar recommended that all ports should use the UNCTAD manual for data collection in ports.

8. The Report on Transport Database for Sub-Saharan Africa contains a number of specific findings and recommendations relating to ports. They are summarized below as follows:

(i) Much work is still required to specify data needs and key indicators. It would be useful, in order to achieve that objective, to disseminate the best practices and to encourage the adoption of practices and indicators recommended in the UNCTAD Primer and those adopted by pilot countries for the ECA data base programme.

(ii) The analysis of ports statistics should relate to individual ports. In this regard, priority should be given to ports which handle annually over 500,000 tonnes of imports and exports.

(iii) Input data should continue to be collected on ports with respect of berths, cargo handling equipment, and employment (with proper signalization of the scope of work to which such data relate). Output data should continue to be collected in respect of tonnes of cargo moved with a breakdown by type of cargo, transit traffic and ship movements.

(iv) Financial data for ports are in much less satisfactory conditions; this is an area which should be carefully addressed as the necessary condition for the development of reliable and useful financial indicators.

(v) Key statistical indicators should be compiled covering the areas of port productivity, time spent by ships in ports, losses due to damage and pilferage, average cost per output unit; equipment availability and equipment utilization.

9. It should be noted that at the conclusion of phase I of the programme participants from the programme's pilot countries agreed on most definitions of terminologies and performance indicators in the field of ports. Mozambique and Senegal ports are currently testing methodologies for the calculation of performance indicators before the launching of the second phase of the programme most likely during the first quarter of 1997, should resources so permit.

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III. PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF PMAESA PORTS DATA BASE

10. The need for improvement of port statistics and organization of appropriate sub- regional port data base is well established. Under the umbrella of PMAESA, existing differences in the capacity of national systems to collect, process, analyse and report adequate data can be achieved through improving and management of existing ports information systems. Therefore, the objective of a realistic plan of action should be to upgrade the capacities of national systems. The principal users and providers of port data are the countries themselves. Therefore, the sustainable improvements must initially be made at national levels.

11. Also with the advent of privatization in ports, it is necessary that as part of the contractual obligations of the private companies they should be required to supply the port authorities with performance indicators and availability figures for all facets of their operations.

12. ECA has accumulated experience both in the area of transport analysis as well as in the fields of statistics. Furthermore under UNTACDA II, the Commission has a specific mandate to develop African transport data bases. PMAESA has close relations with all the countries and ports in Eastern and Southern Africa. ECA and PMAESA should work out common objective in planning the improvements of the national port statistics systems, as well as in the development of a sub-regional ports data base.

IV. RECOMMENDATIONS

13. Key activities essential for achievement of the above proposals are:

(i) Consultations with relevant national, sub-regional, regional and international organizations involved in the development of ports statistics in the sub-region namely: ports authorities, ministries of transport SATCC, ISCOS, COMESA, UNCTAD, etc. on their experiences and levels of commitments in ports statistics in order to avoid duplication of efforts.

(iil Upgrading of professional capacity on ports data collection and analysis through well targeted and prepared workshops involving all concerned parties.

This may require conducting a joint ECA/PMAESA Ad-hoc experts meeting of port statisticians to frame out the immediate and long-term

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requirements for the establishment of a PMAESA port data base which would be harmonized with on-going activities at ECA, SA TCC and COMESA, so that duplication of efforts is eliminated.

(iiil Elaboration of a project proposal/document on establishment of a ports data base at PMAESA Secretariat for submission to selected donor agencies.

(iv) Establishment of a sub-regional ports data base and a system of information dissemination, both by electronic data transfer systems and through publication of a subregional PMAESA Ports Statistics Yearbook.

14. It should be noted that the success of such a programme will depend, to a critical extent, on the production of adequate and reliable data by member ports. It will also depend on the availability of resources from the donor community. In this regard participating ports are advised to become self-reliant and adopt national resource mobilization and sustainable programmes for the improvement of their national port data bases where they exist.

PORTS STATISTICS SYSTEM OF

MOZAMBIQUE

ANNEXES

PORTS STATISTICS SYSTEM FOR MOZAMBIQUE

ANNEX I

PORTS CFM PLANNING DEPARTMENT MTC PLANNING DEPARTMENT

VICE MINISTERS REPORT

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ANNEX I Page 2

PORTS FORMS P 1.

P 2.

P 3.

P 4.

P 5.

P 6.

P 7.

P 8.

P 9.

P10.

Gives a summary of revenue earned, in meticais, for a single port split into zones for the current month andcumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives a summary of revenue earned, in USD, for a singly port split into zones for the current month and cumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives a summary of a single ports tonnage throughput split in coastal (loaded/discharged), imports, exports and transit (origin/destination) for the current month and cumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives a commodity breakdown in tons fora singly port split into coastal (loaded/discharged), imports and exports for the current month and cumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives a commodity breakdown in tons for a single port for transit traffic (inbound/outbound) by country for the current month and cumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives the major performance indicators for single port by type of quay for the current month as well as the monthly and yearly average for the whole port.

Suggested working document for the ports to enable them to work out the primary operational performance indicators on an individual vessel, monthly and annual basis.

Gives the berth occupancy for a port split into type of quay for the current month and cumulative year.

Gives the weekly berth occupancy for a singly berth in a port split into empty, occupied but not working, occupied and working and occupied and not operational.

Give the fleet size and availabilityof port equipment for a single port for the current month.

CFM 1498. Source document based on a design by UNCTAD that gives all pertinent data and operational performance indicators on an individualvesselbasis.

CFM 1.

CFM 2.

CFM 3.

CFM 4.

CFM 5.

CFM 6.

CFM 7.

CFM 8.

CFM 9.

CFM 10.

ANNEX I Page 3

CFM PLANNING DEPARTMENT FORMS

Givesthe globalrevenue, in meticais, for each of the major ports, tertiary ports are grouped together, for a period of six months.

Gives a summary of the revenue earned, in meticais, by type of quay for the six major ports for the current month.

Gives the global revenue, in USD, for each of the major ports, tertiary ports are grouped together, for a period of six months.

Gives the revenue earned, in USD, by type of quay for the six major ports for the current month.

Gives the global tonnage for each of the major ports, tertiary ports are grouped together, for a period of six months.

Givesthe total tonnage for each of the major ports for the current month and cumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives the major performance indicators for each port for the current month and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives a breakdown of a port's productivity by type of quay for the six major ports for the current month and cumulative year.

Gives the port occupancy for each of the major ports for the current month and cumulative year and compares them to the same period for the previous year.

Gives the percentage availability of cargo handling equipment in each of the major ports.

ANNEX I Page 4

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING DEPARTMENT FORMS

MTC 1.

MTC 2.

MTC 3.

MTC 4.

MTC 5.

MTC 6.

MTC 7.

MTC 8.

MTC 9.

MTC 10.

Gives the global tonnage and revenue earned by that tonnage for the current month and cumulative year.

Gives the global tonnage and revenue earned by that tonnage for the current month and cumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives the total tonnage and the revenue earned by that tonnage for each of the major ports, tertiary ports are grouped together, for the current month and the cumulative year.

Gives a set of performance indicators on tonnage moved and daily productivity for the major ports for the current month and compares them to the average for the previous year.

Gives a set of performance indicators on time and port occupancy for the major ports for the current month and compares them to the average for the previous year.

Gives a set of performance indicators on container handling for the major ports for the current month and compares them with the average for the previous year.

Gives the percentage availability on selected pieces of port equipment for the major ports for the current month and compares them with the average for the previous year.

Gives the global tonnage and revenue earned by that tonnage split into coastal, imports, exports and transit for the current month and cumulative year.

Gives the global tonnage and revenue earned by that tonnage split into coastal, imports, exports and transit for the current month and cumulative year and compares them with the same period for the previous year.

Gives the total tonnage and the revenue earned by that tonnage for each of the major ports, tertiary ports are grouped together, split into coastal, imports, exports and transit, for the current month and cumulative year.

ANNEX II RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CLOSING SEMINAR ON

CALCULATION OF PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR PORTS

In the ports subsector the seminar the sub-group on ports and railways indicators agreed as follows:

1. The Mozambique port form design for data collection and dissemination is tailored to the local environment and it should not be expected that other African ports are to use the design as presented.

2. All ports should use the UNCTAD manual on statistics which is already standardized for the purposes of data collection in ports.

3. The port operations performance indicator on gross berth occupancy should be calculated on an hourly basis.

4. The performance indicator on average tons loaded/unloaded in berth per day should be dis-aggregated by type of vessel.

5. The unit for the indictor on handling performance per working hour should be expressed in tons/man/hour instead of tons/gang/hour.

6. Tonnage handled per linear meter of quay should no longer be considered as a performance indicator and should therefore be excluded from the list of port operations performance indicators.

7. Handling performance for containers which is expressed in TEU/Crane/Hour should also be related also to the gangs.

8. Details of calculations of financial performance indicators were not reviewed by the group because the two pilot countries did not include them in their methodologies for the calculation of indicators. However.

it was reported that the ports in Mozambique and Senegal do have them.

It was recommended that every port should make financial indicators available every first quarter of the following year.

9. Equipment availability should be calculated in a dis-aggregated manner and the calculation should be based on the formula proposed by the port of Mozambique!/.

10. With the advent of privatization in ports it is recommended that as part of the contractual obligations of the private companies, they are required to supply the port authority with performance indicators and availability figures for all facets of their operations.

1/ The Mozambique ports formula for calculation of indicators are available in a document titled "Indicators Targeted for Development".